Ten Questions with Cory Luebke

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Cory Luebke throws to the plate against the Colorado Rockies during the second inning of a baseball game in Denver, Monday, Sept. 13, 2010. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
— AP

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Cory Luebke throws to the plate against the Colorado Rockies during the second inning of a baseball game in Denver, Monday, Sept. 13, 2010. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
/ AP

Q: As an Ohio State product, who’s your all-time favorite Buckeyes football player?

A: Archie Griffin. You always knew what you were going to get from him. And he’s the only two-time Heisman Trophy winner.

Q: Wait a minute. You’re 26. Archie won his Heismans in ’74 and ’75. You never saw him play. Modern day Buckeyes, who’s your favorite?

A: (Linebacker) A.J. Hawk. He always electrified the building.

Q: You were a three-sport football, basketball and baseball star at Marion Local High School. Which was your favorite?

A: Probably basketball. Compared to the other sports, you can control a lot more of what’s going on out there. In baseball, when things are going wrong, more effort doesn’t always equal greater success.

Q: Your favorite movie?

A: “Gladiator.” Not that I’m a huge Russell Crowe fun. But it kept you glued to your seat.

Q: What do you remember most about your major league debut last September against the Rockies? (Five innings, 5 runs, all earned, 2 homers in a 4-3 loss.)

A: Probably the home run I gave up to Tulowitzki. It ended up costing us the game.

Q: Toughest hitter you’ve faced?

A: Tulowitzki. I saw him during that stretch when he hit like 15 home runs in 15 days. (It was 14 homers in 15 games.) It didn’t matter where you put it in the (strike) zone. He was locked in.

Q: You’ve been a starter almost your entire pro career. Now you’re coming out of the bullpen. Which do you prefer?

A: Wherever they need me. Starting, I like knowing I can go out there and get guys out for seven innings. But relieving, you have a chance to be the deciding factor of the game.

Q: Last piece of electronic equipment you got?

A: (Chad) Qualls bought me a Mac computer for swapping numbers with him. (Luebke gave up No. 50 and now wears 52.)

Q: Who’d play you in the Cory Luebke movie?

A: I have no idea. Somebody boring. Nobody would watch it, that’s for sure.

Q: What’s a little-known fact about Cory Luebke?

A: As a kid, I was the manager of the high school football, basketball and baseball team. The baseball team would dump the water jug just so I had to go in and fill it up. In junior high, I beat most of the basketball players in HORSE and PIG and took ’em for some money.